The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Pasco joins lawsuit seeking opioid settlement

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Pasco County has joined the national trend for municipalities to fight back against distributors and manufacturers of opioid medications.

County commissioners voted to become one of several plaintiffs in litigation that seeks to replicate the kind of payouts attorneys won in the late 1990s against the tobacco industry.

Pensacola-based Levin Papantonio will represent Pasco County. The law firm is part of a consortium that is pursuing lawsuits in several states including West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco (File)

At stake is money that could be made available to the county for drug addiction treatment and the costs to law enforcement.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco spoke in favor of the lawsuit, prior to the county commissioners’ vote on Jan. 23 in New Port Richey.

“We feel the epidemic every day,” Nocco said.

In 2016, Pasco County had 165 drug overdose deaths, and 120 were related to opioids.

This is a legacy of marketing strategies that promoted prescription opioids as safe and nonaddictive, the sheriff said.

“It’s actually a pill that made them addicts,” Nocco said. “Someone is accountable for it. They should be sued,” the sheriff said.

Nocco noted the unexpected consequences from the state’s successful closure of pill mills, which distributed the opioids. He said people addicted to prescription pain medications turned to other sources, including heroin and fentanyl.

The sheriff recalled an instance when officers found a man beating on the chest of a homeless man. Initially, it appeared to be an assault. Instead, Nocco said it was a heroin overdose.

“He was trying to revive him,” Nocco said.

Pasco County deputies routinely carry Narcan, a medication that can help reverse the effects of an overdose.

In December, Pasco County commissioners heard a workshop presentation from attorney Jeff Gaddy, of Levin Papantonio.

The local law firm of Lucas/Magazine initially approached the county about the lawsuit proposal.

No upfront costs will be charged to the county. If a settlement is reached, attorneys would be eligible for a maximum 25 percent contingency fee from the county’s share of the settlement.

The lawsuits are filed against drug distributors and manufacturers. They allege that false claims were made about the safety of opioids, and excessive pill distribution that amounted to a “public nuisance.”

The lawsuits also allege that distributors failed to report suspicious orders to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, as required by law.

Any settlement would seek to establish abatement funds that would be used to recoup public dollars spent battling the opioid crisis.

Published January 31, 2018

Health News 01/31/2018

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Pirate invasion infuses some fun
Moms and babies, and young kids, as well as staff members of Florida Hospital Tampa were visited by pirates on Jan. 23. The pirates invaded to visit with the patients and hand out beads to kick off Gasparilla 2018.

(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Tampa)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse awarded grant
The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind received a grant from the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring to cover the cost of an Independent Skills Living program to be provided to a group of up to 10 Pasco County adults and seniors.

The skills program will help those visually impaired or blind adults and seniors to acquire the adaptive skills and technical devices needed to live safety in their homes, care for their families, and take care of their basic needs.

To learn more about Lighthouse, visit LVIB.org.

For information on the Foundation of Caring, visit FMCFoundationOfCaring.org.

First robotic spine care performed
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point performed its first case using the Mazor X surgical assurance platform, which combines pre-operative planning tools and analytics with intra-operative guidance. The platform improves safety and efficiency, while giving patients the most advanced spinal surgery options available.

Dr. Brian Hudson, neurosurgeon, performed the surgery.

Hudson said, in a release, “As spinal surgery has evolved, more focus has been placed on minimizing trauma to the body during surgery and expediting a return to function through the use of minimally invasive techniques.”

These procedures can mean less pain, less blood loss, smaller incisions, shorter hospitalizations and shorter recovery time for patients.

Health News 01/24/2018

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More than a place to exercise
The Health & Wellness Center at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel celebrated its five-year anniversary.

(Courtesy of Florida Hospital-West Florida Division)

The center, which opened its doors in 2013, as a fitness facility featuring comprehensive health and wellness programs, now has more than 5,500 members who have come in to work out nearly 1.4 million times.

The center features indoor pools, a cushioned indoor track, group fitness rooms, state-of-the-art TechnoGym fitness equipment, and more. There are also degreed and certified personal trainers.

Members have a choice of more than 120 group fitness classes per week to take part in. Classes include the Les Mills programs, Pilates, Zumba, and aqua classes.

The facility offers child care services and has a Fit Fresh Café.

 

 

Crisis Center receives grant
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring.

The center serves as Hillsborough County’s certified rape crisis center, and staff are thoroughly trained in policies and procedures for interacting with survivors of sexual assault.

Survivors who report to an emergency room following an assault often communicate that the lack of privacy, long waits and overall treatment can be traumatizing.

The grant will allow the center’s sexual assault nurses and victim advocates to adequately train emergency room employees, who are often the first point of contact for survivors of sexual assault, in hospitals throughout Tampa.

Flu can be deadly; use precautions to avoid it

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Sick people are showing up in doctor’s offices and emergency rooms seeking treatment for the flu.

Both in Florida and across the United States, flu activity is on the rise, according to Mara Gambineri, communications director for the Florida Department of Health.

“We’re seeing more activity across all age groups this year than we’ve seen in previous seasons at this time, which may be an early indication of a more severe influenza season,” Gambineri said, via email.

Kelly Ranieri, a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, receives the flu shot from Pamela Wayne, also a registered nurse there. Hospital team members are required to get the flu shot every year for their own health and for that of their patients. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Several Pasco County public schools experienced some degree of significant absence related to flu activity in December before break, said Linda Cobbe, the district’s spokeswoman.

The concern was reported to the health department and a generic notice from the health department was sent home to all parents at Bexley Elementary School on Dec. 18 and at Plato Academy on Dec. 6, Cobbe said.

So far, the district hasn’t seen the same trends since returning from the holiday break, however, Cobbe said, the district’s nurse supervisor said this year is predicted to be “quite challenging” from a flu standpoint.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, at 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, has seen an uptick in flu cases.

“The surge that we’ve noticed has been mostly since Christmas, around Dec. 24, Dec. 25,” said Dr. Nadeem Khan, a community physician and the medical director, Infectious Diseases at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

In the first week of 2017, the hospital had eight confirmed cases of the flu. This year, it had 12 cases during the same week last year. The Wesley Chapel hospital also had 16 confirmed cases from Jan. 5 through Jan. 8, which is more than it had seen the entire previous week, according to figures supplied by the hospital.

“A lot of people did not get vaccinated this year. A lot of the patients you talk to, just didn’t do it,” Khan said.

Holiday crowds also likely figured in, Khan said.

During the holidays, people tend to travel, he observed. “You’re in planes. You’re in airports. There’s delays.

“Somebody is sneezing and coughing, and you can’t do anything about it,” he said.

The sudden cold weather likely contributed, too, he said.

“When your immune system goes down a little bit, you’re more susceptible,” he explained.

The flu cases seem to be coming in earlier than usual this year at Saint Joseph’s Hospital-North, 4211 Van Dyke Road, in Lutz, said Cindy McGrath, nursing manager in the hospital’s emergency department.

Dr. Nadeem Khan is a community physician and the medical director, Infectious Diseases at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

Both health care professionals said there are ways to reduce your chances of catching the flu, and it’s important to protect yourself.

Aside from getting a flu shot, washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water is perhaps the most important step you can take to protect yourself, Khan said.

“At restaurants, we’re picking up salt and pepper shakers. No one cleans those, ever. We’re touching menus that no one cleans. You need to make sure that you’re washing your hands, or using hand sanitizer,” he said.

He also recommends wearing a mask in crowded places, such as airports, airplanes and other places where you could be risking exposure from being too close to others in tight quarters.

“If you’re not sure what’s going on around you, it’s always better to get a mask.”

“Even if you look funny, or you think people are going to stare at you, who cares?” Khan asked.

Those who are most vulnerable to the flu include the very young and the elderly, according to the Florida Department of Health’s website. Pregnant women also are at risk.

People who have underlying medical conditions also are more susceptible to catching the flu, McGrath said.

Once flu symptoms begin to show up, it’s a good idea to see a health care provider for antiviral medication, both McGrath and Khan said. The sooner, the better, they said.

State and federal health officials still recommend getting a flu shot, even though it may not always prevent the flu.

“Flu vaccines can vary in effectiveness from season to season, but they continue to be the best way to prevent influenza infection and serious influenza complications,” said Gambineri, of the state health department.

Khan agrees.

“You might get sick even if you’ve had the flu shot, but not sick enough to be in the hospital or the ICU (intensive care unit),” he said.

Catching the flu can have serious consequences, Khan said.

“We definitely lose patients from influenza. That is something that people don’t understand. Young, healthy individuals, 23 to 30 years old. They die,” he said.

Symptoms:

  • High-grade fever, generally 101 degrees Fahrenheit or above
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Dry cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuff nose
  • Body aches, chills
  • Diarrhea, vomiting
  • Breathing difficulties

The infectious period can start 24 hours to 48 hours before symptoms show up.

Prevention tips

  • Get a flu shot
  • Wash your hands often, with soap and warm water, rubbing hands for 15 seconds to 20 seconds, then drying with a clean towel.
  • Stay away from people who are sick, and avoid crowded spaces, if possible
  • Wear a mask to protect yourself in crowded places, such as airplanes and airports

Avoid spreading the flu

  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Cover sneezes or coughs
  • Use a disposable tissue when blowing your nose and discard that tissue immediately
  • Wash your hands often, using soap and warm water. Rub your hands for 15 seconds to 20 seconds. Be sure to use a clean towel when drying your hands.
  • Do not share glasses, forks, spoons, toothbrushes and so on.

Sources: Dr. Nadeem Khan, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel; Cindy McGrath, nurse manager for the emergency department and Kim Demers, assistant nurse manager for the emergency department at Saint Joseph’s Hospital — North; and, FloridaHealth.gov.

Published January 17, 2018

Health News 01/17/2018

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(Courtesy of Kirsty Churchill)

Little things make a big difference
A group of women from the Silver Sneakers program at the James P. Gills YMCA delivered handmade blankets, shawls and slippers to patients at the Gulfside Center for Hospice Care at Heather Hill, in New Port Richey. The group also left additional blankets for patients to receive as they enter Gulfside. This is the third time the group has donated handmade gifts to hospice patients. From left: Shirley Colligan, Deborah Miller, Glenda Hunter, Arlene Kovacs, Lori Fridy and Jennifer Chianella.

Robotics for neurosurgery
Florida Hospital Tampa is the first hospital in Florida to acquire the latest generation robotic imaging technology for use in neurosurgery that provides neurosurgeons with a more complete view of the brain during surgery.

Synaptive Medical Inc.’s BrightMatter product suite, including its next-generation Modus V robotic arm with digital microscope, transforms imaging, surgical planning, patient data collection and intraoperative vision from disjointed analog methods to a fully integrated platform with navigation, robotic automation, digital microscopy and data analytics.

Modus V is derived from technology used on the International Space Station and sets a new standard for robot-assisted neurosurgery with the most powerful optics available on the market. The optics provide unprecedented views of patient anatomy, and may allow surgeons to perform less invasive procedures with more precision.

Less invasive procedures may lead to faster recovery times, reduced complications and, in some cases, may render an inoperable diagnosis operable.

Hitting the road to promote better hearing

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The Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida Inc., has put a van on the road to expand its ability to provide early intervention for children with hearing loss.

The organization, headquartered in New Port Richey, serves the entire state.

It added the van so it could provide pediatric hearing screenings and evaluations, as well as fitting and dispensing of hearing aids, in rural and under-served communities.

Debra Golinski is the executive director of the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida Inc. She hopes the organization can create a fleet of seven vans to help it achieve its goal of providing services across the state. (Courtesy of Debra Golinski)

“It’s part of our mission for early identification of hearing loss,” said Debra Golinski, executive director of the Sertoma Foundation. “We’ve always tried to serve the entire state of Florida, and in order to do that more effectively, the mobile van was the answer for us,” she said.

The van makes scheduled stops at day care centers across the state, to allow for screening of children who are infants through age 5, Golinski said.

If a child doesn’t pass the first time, a rescreening is scheduled. If the child still doesn’t pass, the parents are asked to have the child’s primary care physician do a check.

“We discover there’s about 20 percent that need further testing. Sometimes it’s fluid in the ear. Sometimes it’s ear wax. There are different reasons that they don’t pass. That’s why we have to refer back to the primary care,” Golinski said.

“If they indeed need hearing aids, we have an audiologist who will come back to do the fitting and dispensing at a very reduced rate,” she said.

There are clues that a child may have hearing loss, she said.

If your child isn’t paying attention to you, there may be a hearing issue, Golinski said. Or, “if they don’t respond to what you’re talking about, if they don’t respond to noises,” she said.

Sometime, hearing loss isn’t easy to spot, she added.

“Children adapt. We’ve found kids that were completely deaf in one ear, but they adapted. The family never knew.

“It’s just like anything else, you learn to adapt. That’s why we take the initiative to make sure they’re screened,” Golinski said.

The Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida Inc., has added a van to help it provide early intervention to children with hearing loss. (Courtesy of Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation)

The idea is to help children who need it, as soon as possible.

When children can’t hear, they can be at a disadvantage in developing their vocabulary and speaking skills, she said.

By intervening early, help can be provided to help children avoid learning delays and can minimize or eliminate the need for special education, she said.

“When they hit kindergarten, our goal is that they will mainstream,” Golinksi said, rather than requiring special education services.

Golinski said the response to the mobile van, which was added last fall, has been tremendous.

“I’ve never been upstaged by a van so much in my life,” she said, with a laugh.

“We’ve screened over 2,000 children since we started,” she said, noting the van has traveled to more than a dozen counties, including Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Clay, Levy, Marion, Lake, Seminole and Brevard, among others.

“We are doing great things with one van. We’d love to have more. My vision is that we would have seven vans across the state, doing this,” Golinski said.

She hopes that can be accomplished within a few years.

For more information about this program, or to help provide funding or a van to expand the services, call (727) 312-3881.

Published January 10, 2018

Griswold celebrates 35 years

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The first Griswold Home Care office opened in 1982, fulfilling founder Jean Griswold’s goal of providing care that would keep seniors, the infirmed, and those recovering from injury in the place they love the most – their homes.

In the 35 years since its opening, Griswold Home Care’s thousands of caregivers have seen to the daily needs and comfort of hundreds of thousands of clients across the country.

Jean Griswold passed away last year, but Arthur and Frieda Moseley, of Griswold Home Care of Pasco County & Tampa in Lutz, say they see her vision in action every day.

For information, visit GriswoldHomeCare.com.

Hospital participates in Rose Bowl

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(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point received an invitation to participate in the 2018 Donate Life Rose Parade Float Hospital CEO Rose Dedications. Only a select group of hospitals in the area have been asked to prepare a handwritten message honoring the patients and families who, with the support of hospital staff, have saved and healed lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation. Joe Rudisill, the hospital’s COO, writes a note to be placed in the Donate Life Rose Parade float.

Pasco reviewing lawsuit proposal linked to opioid epidemic

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More than 15 years ago, a landmark settlement against tobacco companies netted billions of dollars for plaintiffs who sued over smoking-related illnesses.

The nation’s opioid epidemic may be headed in that same direction.

And, the Pasco County Commission is mulling a proposal to join a growing number of governments that are seeking to recoup public dollars spent battling opioid addictions.

At a Dec. 5 workshop in New Port Richey, Pensacola-based attorney Jeff Gaddy laid out a case for why Pasco should join the legal fray.

County commissioners made no commitment, but accepted a proposal for review.

“We’ll make a decision down the road,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Wells. “We know it’s an epidemic.”

If approved, legal action would be taken on a contingency basis, with Pasco paying no upfront costs and only paying attorneys in the event of a settlement.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, who attended the workshop, favors the lawsuit.

“This is a pill epidemic that didn’t have to happen,” he said.

Every deputy now carries a supply of Narcan, the brand name for naloxone. The medication can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Nocco said 40 people “have been brought back” by deputies and first responders administering Narcan.

Gaddy’s firm is among seven law firms litigating the issue in states including West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

The group has about 120 clients in more than 10 states, and to date has filed more than 80 lawsuits. Some lawsuits could eventually be consolidated into a single lawsuit.

“We are without a doubt the national leader in this litigation,” Gaddy said.

The lawsuits are filed against drug distributors and manufacturers. They allege false claims about the safety of opioids and a massive pill distribution that created a “public nuisance,” he said. “They should be held accountable for it.”

Distributors are required by law to report suspicious orders to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. But, Gaddy said those rules have been violated.

He cited reports from West Virginia that 780 million pills were distributed over six years in a state with about 1.8 million people.

“It was off the chart by any stretch of the imagination,” Gaddy said.

There are about 800 drug distributors, but Gaddy said three major distributors typically have been named as defendants in lawsuits. They are Cardinal Health, McKesson Corp., and Amerisource-Bergen.

The goal is to force plaintiffs to establish abatement funds that would pay for the drug damages to communities through education programs in schools, costs to law enforcement, and funds to support drug prevention and addiction recovery programs.

Gaddy said, “There is no county in the nation with enough beds to handle the flood of victims of their pills.”

Published December 27, 2017

Health News 12/27/2017

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(Courtesy of Keth Luke)

Charity show rakes in over $40,000
The inaugural Charity Fashion Show, at Heritage Springs Golf & Country Club in Trinity, benefitting Gulfside Hospice, raised more than $40,000 to support patient care in Pasco County. From left: Linda Ward, president and CEO of Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care; Deiah Riley, morning anchor from ABC Action News and event emcee; and, Carla Armstrong, director of philanthropy for Gulfside.

Hospital appoints Courtney Stephenson
The Medical Center of Trinity has appointed Courtney Stephenson as assistant chief nursing officer. Stephenson was promoted to the position from her chief nursing officer position at Northside Hospital.

Stephenson has been with HCA for almost 11 years, staring her career as a registered nurse at Medical City Fort Worth in 1996.

She also has served as a director of risk management and patient safety, vice president of clinical services and interim chief nursing officer during her time in HCA.

In 2014, she entered the Executive Development Program and was promoted to associate chief nursing officer at Medical Center of McKinney.

Stephenson has a Master of Science in nursing administration from the University of Texas, Arlington, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Christian University.

Casino Night benefits hearing impaired
Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation had its annual Las Vegas Casino Night at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club in New Port Richey, to benefit the Children’s Hearing Help Fund.

Visitors took part in gaming, auctions, dinner, and music and dancing throughout the event.

All proceeds, more than $6,000, will benefit the hearing fund.

To contribute to the fund, drivers who are renewing a license or motor vehicle registration also can check the box to “CHHF” and add a dollar or more to their fee, which will be donated to Sertoma through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Honor a loved one with a paper dove
Gulfside Hospice thrift shops are offering two paper doves, with a place to write the name of a loved one, for $1 donation for anyone who would like to honor a loved one’s memory during the holiday season.

One ornament can be placed on a decorated tree at the shops, and the second dove is for the donor’s tree at home.

Doves can be purchased at any Gulfside Hospice thrift shop location, as well as the three Gulfside offices.

For store locations, visit GHPPC.org.

For information about the ornaments, call Gulfside’s Philanthropy Department at (727) 845-5707.

Tax collector raises money for breast cancer
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices partnered with the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation to help raise funds and awareness of breast cancer, its symptoms and treatments.

The five office branches promoted the sale of the “End Breast Cancer” specialty license plates, as well as voluntary check-off donations on automobile registrations.

Forty-two plates were sold, and combined with the cash donations a total of $7,882.68 was raised to help fight the disease.